


Silver Gloves

by StarTrekkin08



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Boxing & Fisticuffs, Episode: s05e06 Timeless, F/M, Fate & Destiny, Love, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:48:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24654112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarTrekkin08/pseuds/StarTrekkin08
Summary: Chakotay places a personal item in Kathryn's care.
Relationships: Chakotay & Kathryn Janeway, Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway
Comments: 10
Kudos: 40





	1. Silver Gloves

**Author's Note:**

> This first (and future second chapter) are based set during the, "Timeless," episode. Other chapters will be based on other episodes.
> 
> Of all things, this was inspired by a, "Boy Meets World," episode I watched ages ago when I was a kiddo called, "Kid Gloves". In it, Cory is given the necklace that his dad won for being the 2nd best boxer in the entire U.S. Navy. I honestly thought it was a real thing for quite awhile.
> 
> Enjoy.

"Here."

He moved something over his head and placed it in her hand.

She looked down and said, "Boxing gloves? I didn't take you for a jewelry guy, Chakotay," she smirked.

In her hand was a necklace with two small joined boxing gloves dangling from it.

"I won them when I won the Starfleet Boxing Championship years ago. I want you to have them if I don't make it back."

She bit her lips and her eyes began to water. She held out her palm and shook her head. "I can't. I can't take this."

Chakotay curled her fingers around the necklace and cupped his hands around it.

" _Please_ ," he said.

Kathryn tried to hold down the tears as best as she could.

"You'd better come back. Or, I'll kill you myself. I'd hate to hunt you down again," she mustered a sloppy smile.

He smiled softly and let go of her hand. "See you soon." He nodded.

"See you soon," she returned.

She watched as Chakotay walked and boarded the Delta Flyer, where Harry was already waiting.

...

When: Alternate universe when the slipstream drive **failed.**

A gray haired Chakotay leaned down, pulled the collar down, and smiled. She was wearing it, despite Starfleet regulations about wearing jewelry other than a wedding ring.

Hell, he violated it too.

But she still had it. She had it on her. That have him a little comfort. Harry had gone to sickbay to get the EMH, which afforded him a little time to say a few things to his captain before Tessa boarded.

"I'm sorry, Kathryn. I didn't make it back...or, at least, how I imagined I would. I'm here now. Harry and I...we're going to fix this. I love you, Kathryn."

He thought about their dinner conversation the night before the launch.

"I am with you, always."

....  
When: Regular timeline (the slipstream drive was shut down and the future Chakotay and Harry were **successful**.)

"Welcome back," Janeway said as Harry and Chakotay exited the Flyer. Harry had a downtrodden look on his face as Chakotay slapped his shoulder and gripped on, trying to reassure him.

"Good to be back," Chakotay said.

"Captain...I don't know what went wrong," Harry said and shook his head in front of her.

"It's all right, Mr. Kim. Take a break. We'll take a look later. That's an order," she said.

"Yes, ma'am," Harry's voice sounded deflated and he left the launch bay.

She looked at Chakotay and before she said anything he asked, "Dinner tonight?"

"Definitely."

...

  
After dinner, they were left sitting on her couch drinking some wine.

"So it looks like you and Harry went back and changed the present."

"It appears so."

She lifted the necklace from her neck and over her hair and handed it to him.

"This is yours."

"Thanks for taking care of it."

She smiled and gave him a stare. "Why did you give it to me? Did you have a feeling that you weren't returning?"

"I had a funny feeling. Maybe I did think that. B'Elanna used to joke that I had a sixth sense."

"Why me?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

She looked down at her glass and took a drink.

"Why now? You've been on away missions before."

"It's just a good time as any," he drank from his glass.

She thought, 'He wouldn't have if I was still engaged... _ohhh_. No safety net.'

Kathryn quickly responded, "Who presented it to you?"

"The silver boxing gloves?"

"Yes, the silver boxing gloves."

"The Starfleet Martial Arts Commission."

"No, _**who**_?"

He paused for a moment and then he answered.

"Vice Admiral Janeway."

She set her glass down on the coffee table and stood up and took a few steps before stopping facing the door.

He walked her spot but just lingered over her shoulder.

She began to talk in a soft voice.

"My father loved to watch boxing matches. Even attended some matches in person, if he could. It was the Irish in his blood. I never paid attention much. But...there was one time...but one time he came home and I was studying in my room. He was talking so animatedly and I was getting annoyed that I couldn't concentrate anymore. I went downstairs to see what the commotion was all about. He said something like," she brought up her father's voice,"'Katie, you should've seen it! This kid was amazing. Just when it looked like it was the end, he mustered a punch out of the blue. It sure makes sense that his focus is tactics. Apparently, he was a damn good pilot, too! Maybe I should have a talk with him. Nimembeh shouldn't mind. Maybe he can test out one of our ships.'

She resumed her regular voice.

"He was very excited. My mother told him his coat was dripping into the house and made him put it on the hook by the door. Phoebe and I rolled our eyes at each other while he put it away. He said they, the commission, let him award the young man this time. I knew they allowed admirals to do that. I said, 'That's great, dad. I'm glad you had fun. Just keep it down? I'm trying to study.' He said, "Sorry, little bird. I will," with a smile and I went back upstairs."

She turned around and said, "He was talking about you, Chakotay, wasn't he?"

He nodded and tugged on his ear. With a chuckle he said, "Yeah, and Nimembeh wasn't too happy that he was planning on stealing me away."

"Wow, how crazy is that?," she said, "Will you excuse me? I need use the refresher. "

"Sure."

Kathryn walked over to the refresher and sat on the toilet and put her head in her hands. Emotions were flooding her. It was one of the happiest moments she remembered of her father's. If fate went a different path, Chakotay could've been in Justin's place instead of entering tactical professorship and the Maquis.

She flushed the toilet and went to the sink and patted some cool water on her faced and dabbed it dry with a towel.

"Everything okay?" Chakotay asked as she came out.

"Yes," Kathryn said, "More than okay."

He held the two wine glasses, which had been filled. He handed hers out and she took it.

Chakotay raised his glass and toasted, "To Admiral Janeway."

"And to your safe return," she tilted her glass and clinked his.


	2. Fate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a continuation of the first chapter.

After she sipped her red wine she asked, "Chakotay, do you believe in fate?"

"I honestly don't know."

Kathryn inquired, "No ancient legends about it?"

Chakotay shook his head with pursed lips. "Do you?"

"I don't know, either. If I was asked that ten years ago I would have said absolutely not. That we all have free will and that our choices determine the future."

"I thought that there were so many factors around us that we cannot control."

"You know we could've been on the same ship before you joined the Maquis?" she pointed out.

He mulled it over.

"That's true," Chakotay chuckled, "I don't think Admiral Paris would've liked me too much, though. I didn't really know too much about him, except that he was a hard-ass. And that was _before_ I met Tom Paris"

Kathryn choked on her wine while laughing. When he came closer she held up a hand to show that she was all right.

He added, "As to fate, well, the way I see it, you just have to live each day the best way you know how."

She nodded.

Chakotay smiled a large grin,.

"What are you thinking?" she curiously asked.

"Of how young you would've been compared to me and how you would've looked. I bet you knocked them dead."

Kathryn blushed intensely.

"And you wouldn't have had the tattoo. Pity," as she sat down.

He laughed and joined her.

"Are you saying my tattoo is, what Tom would say, is a 'chick magnet'?"

"You said those words, not me," she teased.

Chakotay stroked the tattoo.

Kathryn said, "You _know_ , half the women on this ship would easily have you in an instant." She snapped her fingers.

"Only half?"

She smacked his arm playfully.

"Are you one of them?"

She bit her lip and swallowed.

"I'm not _that_ easy."

Chakotay knew that was true. "I only have my eye on one person on this ship. She might be too young for me."

Kathryn gave a curious look.

"Naomi. She said she would marry me if I wasn't with anybody in twenty years."

Kathryn laughed and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

...

As they said their goodbyes for the evening, he snuck a kiss on her right cheek and left.

She touched the spot on her cheek that burned with fire as he left her quarters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ch 2. Written 6/10-6/11/2020.

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 1 written 6/10/2020.
> 
> I don't own rights to Voyager.
> 
> Dedicated to my great-grandpa, a Scotch-Irish man whom I never met. He liked to watch boxing on TV late at night when my dad was a kid. He would let him watch even though it was late. It was one of his favorite memories of him.


End file.
